The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has updated its Gibraltar travel advice, confirming new Schengen-aligned entry rules are in force from today (15 July).
Under the UK–EU agreement on Gibraltar, the territory’s entry requirements for short stays now mirror those of the Schengen Area.
British nationals, who are not residents of Gibraltar, will face dual border checks at the airport, with Gibraltar authorities carrying out local immigration controls and Spanish officials conducting Schengen checks.
Travellers will be registered under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), with ETIAS to follow once introduced.
Once cleared, passengers can move freely across the Gibraltar–Spain land border.
British nationals can still visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but time spent in Gibraltar will now count towards the Schengen limit.
UK passport holders must now have a passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least three months beyond their planned departure from Gibraltar or the wider Schengen zone.
Travellers who fail to meet the rules face being refused entry.
The FCDO said British–Irish dual nationals travelling on an Irish passport will be treated as EU citizens and exempt from the 90-day limit and future EES and ETIAS requirements.
For stays longer than 90 days, travellers must register with Gibraltar’s Department of Immigration and Home Affairs.
The update also confirms changes to customs rules under the agreement, with Gibraltar adopting a bespoke model to remove checks at the land border, although some goods may need to be declared on arrival by air.
EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said: “Today marks a truly historic moment. I am proud to sign this Agreement with the United Kingdom on Gibraltar.
“It has taken four years of patient, complex negotiation, but the outcome speaks for itself: shared prosperity, closer cooperation, and no more barrier for some 15,000 people who cross between Spain and Gibraltar every single day.
“It is a very special feeling to see a fence come down. I now look forward to the successful implementation of this agreement.”
